Academy Manager Garreth Barker talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Academy Manager Garreth Barker has been pleased with the response of his players following the Christmas break.
The players reported back in good shape and started 2014 with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Scunthorpe United last weekend.
“We trained well up to Christmas and ideally you want to bring the players in to keep them ticking over, but you can’t facilitate that because they live in all areas of the country,” Garreth told www.themillers.co.uk
“When we got the lads back in after the break on day one they were fitness tested and then on day two we had a friendly game against Walsall. They all came through and worked hard in the build-up to the Scunthorpe game which was really pleasing.”
However, Barker was unable to see any of his team feature for the reserves on Monday after the game with Mansfield was postponed, with some of his squad already pencilled in to play.
“We were disappointed that the reserve fixture was called off on Monday because we were asked to name some of the boys for that game, which would have been a good test for the lads.
“We now have a free weekend coming which in truth we didn’t want because we wanted to carry through the momentum picked up from the Scunthorpe victory.
“We had arranged for a friendly game but that has been called off by our opponents so we will make sure we train hard this week, and then have an internal training match.”
The youth team are next in action at home to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday 25th January.